


Blood Soaked Ballroom

by bornofwrath



Series: an unjust game [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - No Personas (Persona Series), Costume Parties & Masquerades, King Shido, Kingdoms, M/M, Mage Akechi, Mage Akira, Mages, Please read notes, Swords & Sorcery, prince akechi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29783112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornofwrath/pseuds/bornofwrath
Summary: The fated meeting of two sides of the same coin. Goro and Akira meet under unfortunate circumstances as Goro attempts to prove his worth to Shido.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: an unjust game [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185992
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Blood Soaked Ballroom

**Author's Note:**

> pt. 2 of "an unjust game" !! thank you all so much for your support of the prequel <3 keep those comments coming, they fuel my soul <:
> 
> WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER: goro using his abilities to force someone to jump off of a balcony. please proceed with caution if you think that will make you uncomfortable

Dressing for the ball was a hassle, tiring, and Akechi found that it left him breathless. Shido had insisted that - if he were to get his wish - he must dress the part. They dressed him in a white suit, golden accents littered across it with red fabric put over the white. Given that red and white were the colors of his kingdom’s glad he supposed it made sense, but he couldn’t help but feel as though he was wearing a costume.

The outfit was finished when a red mask donned his face, hiding his features as if anyone outside of the castle had seen them before.

The party itself was...Strange. Goro found it disgusting how the attendants could stuff their faces with food and wine without a care in the world, drinking away their problems. One man, Lord Kenshiro, found joy in flashing his money, while Commander Kamoshida flirted with every woman who passed him. They were disgusting, the scum of the earth, and Akechi wasn’t surprised to see his father conversing with all of them

with a smile on his face.

_“If I ever become king,”_ Akechi thought, _“this cursed bloodline will end with me.”_

There was one person, though, that Akechi thought was out of place. A raven-haired man wearing a long coat and a black and white mask walked around in boots that clicked as he walked, which is what first caught Goro’s attention. He drifted from his quiet corner, having been watching him from afar. Before he could get close, though, he felt someone grab ahold of his shoulder, making him flinch, “When I told you to take out the black-haired pompous bastard, I didn’t mean the first one you set your eyes on.”

Shido.

“I was just – ” Goro attempted to explain, but his efforts were fruitless.

“I don’t give a damn what you were doing. _Focus.”_ He insisted, and Goro swallowed. Right, he was here to do a job.

He sighed, giving Shido a nod. His shoulder was promptly released and Goro made his way over to Lord Okumura, a master of coin whom Shido discussed international trade with. According to Shido he’d “grown too aware of his own power,” prompting Shido to want to be rid of him as quickly as possible. “It must be done quietly, though. Make it look like an accident if possible, his daughter is a chore to deal with when angry.”

Goro ignored the bitter memory of the subtly sexist tone in his father’s voice and carried onward. He couldn’t confront Okumura directly, he wanted to remain like a ghost, like he had in his life up until this point.

He didn’t want to get too close to the lord, just close enough to get a gauge on his stance and conversation, wanting to keep him in one spot for as long as possible. He watched as he set his wine down on a table.

Perfect.

  
  


I suppose this is the part where I must tell you a bit more about our dear race of magi. You’ll forgive this slight interruption, yes? It will only take but a moment.

You see, dear reader, not all mages are born alike. Some have elemental abilities, some have abilities of the mind, and some have abilities that can make them quite dangerous if taught correctly. A “dark mage” – a cruel title provided by humans – seemingly appears once in a generation, a rare breed whose dangerous magic can manifest in several ways. They are given a simple ability like the rest of the mages: elemental, mental, etcetera, but with a sinister twist. Whether or not a “dark mage” is born or created is heavily debated amongst scholars, but that is a tale for another time.

Our dear Goro is a mind talent, but also a “dark mage.” He discovered this rather quickly, noticing how everything he attempted to conjure up had a deep purple and black shade to it, something only found in dark mages and the reason for his namesake. This meant that he could conjure up anything, no matter how sinister, with the ability to kill.

But, being a mind talent, it also meant he could control the minds of any man or woman he so chooses, but he found it was easier if they were incapacitated by something like herbs...Or, like our dear Okumura…

Alcohol.

  
  


He focused on the man, keeping hidden in a darkened corner as his eyes turned black, whispering to Okumura: _Go to the balcony_ he told him, _Now._

Okumura, now a puppet on a string, did as he was told. Akechi followed him but stayed a floor below him as Okumura walked up the stairs. Eventually, he made his way outside, underneath the balcony.

_Jump_. He commanded.

And of course, like the obedient puppet he was, he did. Akechi smiled as he listened to the man climb atop the railing. This was his first time using his abilities to kill a man, only having manipulated the minds of rats and ants before, and only for mindless things, though he had made a rat run into a trap once before.

This was much more...Satisfying.

It would’ve been a perfect moment...Would have, of course.

_Stop!_ Shouted a voice Akechi had not heard before, _Don’t! Stop!_

It was strange because this voice was not...Vocal. Akechi did not hear it through his ears, he heard it in his mind.

Another mind talent.

_NO!_ The voice continued to scream, making Akechi’s ears ring. He grabbed ahold of the door frame, falling to his knees and clinging to his hair with his other hand. Just as he fell to his knees, Okumura hit the floor, the other mind talents efforts having gone to waste.

Above him, he heard something distinctly familiar. The mind talent ran to the edge of the balcony, and Akechi’s ears perked at the sound of clicking heels.

He forced himself to stand, running forward and looking up at the balcony.

Staring back at him...The raven-haired man.

**Author's Note:**

> . . . is that a cliffhanger ? does that count ? I'M SORRY
> 
> next time ;; goro has some explaining to do + some parts of the ball from akira's p.o.v
> 
> follow me on twitter if you'd like: @sapphiiccore


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